Newbie to incubation station

[Gerty0630]

This past weekend I have candled and confirmed all 3 eggs I have in my incubator are fertile and growing wonderfully! I am much more small scale than most on BYC - I only have 2 pekin ducks, 1 male and 1 female (obviously). I have read and read and read about what to expect for incubating and hatching and feel I am pretty well educated as to what to expect but nooo education like experience, so...any experienced duck egg hatchers have any pro tips??

 

[Chick-N-Fun]

I have only incubated chicken eggs......
Best of luck with your hatch!

@Miss Lydia

 

[The Farmers' Daughter]

@WVduckchick or @chickens really may be able to answer a lot of your questions.

Welcome to BYC!

 

[chickens really]

Congrats..If everything is going great that's awesome. Definitely keep an eye on air cells , temp and humidity during the hatch...Best wishes..

 

[Gerty0630]

Congrats..If everything is going great that's awesome. Definitely keep an eye on air cells , temp and humidity during the hatch...Best wishes..

Well so far so good but only at day 7 haha
Def very conscious of temp and humidity!! Thank you!

 

[WVduckchick]

There is nothing quite like watching a beautiful duckling hatch!

What type of incubator are you using?

 

[Gerty0630]

There is nothing quite like watching a beautiful duckling hatch!

What type of incubator are you using?

To be honest im not entirely sure haha (at work right now). Its off amazon after reading many reviews and specs! Heres one of them at day 5!

 

[americanchicks]

With ducks you definitely need to keep an eye on humidity.
Last year was my first time hatching eggs both ducks and chickens. Hatched all the chicken eggs no prob but not a single duck. They all died around 10 days and the ones that made it to hatch never did. They died fully developed in the egg but where surrounded by a gooey gel. I had the humidity set to 55%, that is what it said to keep it at. It was someone on this forum who said it was too high keep it around 45%. Well right now in the incubator is set to 45% I have olive eggers, muscovy and even pekins! so far so good have not lost a single duck egg. They have 9 days till hatch. So fingers crossed.
Good luck with your pekins!

 

[Gerty0630]

With ducks you definitely need to keep an eye on humidity.
Last year was my first time hatching eggs both ducks and chickens. Hatched all the chicken eggs no prob but not a single duck. They all died around 10 days and the ones that made it to hatch never did. They died fully developed in the egg but where surrounded by a gooey gel. I had the humidity set to 55%, that is what it said to keep it at. It was someone on this forum who said it was too high keep it around 45%. Well right now in the incubator is set to 45% I have olive eggers, muscovy and even pekins! so far so good have not lost a single duck egg. They have 9 days till hatch. So fingers crossed.
Good luck with your pekins!

omg that's so sad!! Even though I've read everywhere keeping an eye on humidity is so important, you've totally freaked me out now!

 

[americanchicks]

Not trying to freak you out. Its so hard not to keep checking your eggs and keep thinking about them, I know. Its like being preg with your first child, what can go wrong! But just keep thinking of what could go right. This is my first time hatching pekins too, the ducks i tried hatching before where Muscovy, they are known to be tricky to hatch. Im sure your duckies will be just fine.